Authenticity of Hadith Stating That Paradise Lies Beneath the Feet of Your Mother

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalaamu aleikum,

I wanted to know if this is an authentic hadith, and what the citation is if it is authentic. “Heaven lies beneath the feet of your mother”

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I hope you are in the best of health and spirits, insha’Allah.

The narration (hadith) as recorded by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in his Musnad is related by Mu`awiyah bin Jahima al-Sulami in which he came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) I desire to go on the military expedition and I have come to consult you.’ He (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked, ‘Do you have a mother?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘Stay with her because paradise lies beneath her feet.’

The verifier, Shaykh Shu`ayb Arna`ut, notes that its chain of transmission is sound.

There are also corroborating narrations (hadith), with similar wording, in the Sunan of Ibn Majah, the Sunan of Nasai’, al-Hakim’s Mustadrak and elsewhere.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani